Northern Health is again cautioning residents that due to physician shortages the Kitimat General Hospital’s emergency department will be closed until 8 a.m. Tuesday morning (Oct. 17).
The closure was announced Sunday afternoon and went into effect Monday morning at 6 a.m.
The 26-hour closure marks the third major disruption of emergency services this month, and the 11th so far this year.
“Every effort is being made to avoid Emergency Department service interruptions … therefore the interruptions in the coming days may be adjusted depending on shift coverage and we will provide updates on any reductions or extensions to this service interruption,” a spokesperson for the Northern Health Authority said.
Physician and nursing shortages are the focus of several initiatives of Northern Health, the District of Kitimat and the B.C. Government as staffing crises plague hospitals across the province.
READ MORE: Persistent doctor shortages prompt more closures of Kitimat emergency department
“We are working with Kitimat’s physician community to explore short, medium and longer-term solutions to address the challenges we face,” a Northern Health spokesperson told the Northern Sentinel last week. “This includes recruiting additional permanent and locum physicians to the community in what is a challenging and competitive national and international recruitment environment.”
Anyone suffering life-threatening emergencies like chest pain or severe bleeding are still being urged to call 911. An ambulance will transport them to the nearest facility.
For non-urgent care needs, patients can also call the NH Virtual Clinic at 1-844-645-7811 (daily from 10am to 10pm) to access a family doctor or nurse practitioner.